The invention relates to a device and method for tempering coating mediums used in printing machines.
In applicator systems for printing presses, e.g., in coating systems, it is known to regulate the viscosity of the coating medium by means of tempering control. This can be used to regulate the processibility of coating media for different types of media and for different methods for application. This can expand the processing range of such an applicator system.
A known device for coating surfaces in a printing process is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,739 A. This reference indicates that a coating composition for different systems can be supplied from a single storage container for the feeding of coating compositions to printing processes. Each device for supplying the coating composition is described as a reactor vessel, in which the temperature, and thus also the viscosity, of the coating composition can be influenced. For this purpose, there is a heat exchanger and a temperature sensor, as well as a viscometer for determining the viscosity of the coating composition, in the reactor vessel.
The described device has the disadvantage that the coating composition can only be affected or controlled before the actual printing process or coating process. On the way between the reactor vessel and the printing process, however the physical properties of the coating composition can change again.
Another disadvantage of the above described device is that not all of the processing sequences can be affected by the processing sequences of temperature control. It commonly is necessary for there to be processing sequences for the rinsing or cleaning of the applicator system and the elements contained therein that transport the coating composition in order to prevent permanent contamination through hardening of the coating composition. Here it is also advantageous to control the temperature of the cleaning process. This is not possible with the described device.
The objective of the invention is to influence the tempering control of a coating medium near the printing process and also to provide means that can support the cleaning processes also by means of tempering mechanisms.
In carrying out the invention, it is advantageous that the applicator system be associated with a container that stores the coating medium and that can provide temperature control. This container can supply, in a particularly advantageous way, both coating medium and also a rinsing medium used for cleaning. By feeding the rinsing medium into the intermediate container, the rinsing medium can also be adjusted to a temperature suitable for the cleaning process. Here, the intermediate container is separated in a suitable way from the containers for supplying the coating medium. Through the indicated arrangement, it is guaranteed that all elements in contact with the coating medium can be adequately cleaned at any time.
The effect of improved cleaning also can be achieved in a further advantageous arrangement by means of tempering elements for guiding and metering the coating medium.